The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-11-20
THE DEMON OF THE SHED.
Electricity as q Cause OF Fire Among
Cotton Bales.


To the Editor OF the Appeal.
Some twenty years ago gave my views
and theories rs 10 the causes Of the great
number Of steam boiler explosions that oc
Cured on steamboats, plying on the Mis-
sissippi, most OF which disasters occurred
in the vicinity Of Memphis. 50 numerous
were they, and each followed the other in
such rapid succession, that at the time Il
was called an epidemic Of boiler explosions.
These views and theories, rs then gave
them, were received by the scientists with
favor and were largely quoted in all the
journals. The theories given we're based
ON nstural laws, and were given then TO
turn the channel Of investigation from old
ideas into new paths, the hue and cry being
negligence ON the part Of the engineers.
| turned tho thinking minds from such
common ideas 10 more philosophical truths.
The insult was To cX0ncrItc the engineers
and ~ lay tho cauSe a. natural laws over
which they, the engineers, had no control.
The theory was based ON the true science
of electricity"
this time the burning Ut cotton bales, and
OF course the popular ilca Is that the in.
ccndinfy II az work. ID may or may not
be- ~. hut this much have 10 say, that
this article wis commenced the next day
after the Brooks & Nicely fir, aud bclor'
inccndiafism wis thought oi In the matter
Again, this article not written 10 shield the
inccndiary II such there be-, but 10 write
q theme fDr serious investigation. Within
u period Of a few weeks. and almost IN
mpid succession, iins have occurcd In
several of our cottOn.shcds, burning mp
thousands oi balrs, aud within the sane
period ut Little Rock, Ark, and In Texas
cotionshcd was burnt In each place,
with liz contents oi thousands of balpz.
other iircs have occurred on car flats with.
in the same period. All this might
truly DC said 20 be an epidemic
oi iic among cotton bales. Common
errors hayc been rife ~ 20 causes. the pop
ular ones being lucifcr matches, lighted
cigar and cigarette ends, sparks from day
and truck wheels, aud the oit-repuatcd IN.
ccndiary. These common ideas may or
may not have weight. ! basc the cause
on bruadcrplanc, and one that can easily
be demonstrated 10y experiments and proven
by the laws Of physics.
However, 10 be we'll understood. | will
state that within period Of two or three
weeks several sheds have been on fire, NJ
sulling In the loss by burning mp thou
rands " bales Of cotton. The cause Of this
wholesale burning Of cotton bales Is what
| intend to lay before the r'aden, and the
theory il Tor them 20 discuss.
fuf the last three or four months little or
no min has fallen; the atmosphere has
been clear and clOudlcss, the barometer
has stood steadily high, W. have had u
total absence Of electrical disturbances and
but few atmospheric changes In tompcu.
iurc. aerial and terrestrial electric iorccs
have lain dormant; the elements OF lorcc
may have been said 10 have
slept. hut this stiffness Of tho lamb
poflcnds the roaring 81 the lion. The dor.
mant ionccs, when awakened into activity,
strike forth with increased energy, 10 COM
pcnSitc ior lost time. We want the thun'
der storms. they aw the giants Of the
clouds. who. with their strong powers, ~
stores the equilibrium Of nature. IN their
alscnc nature runs riot. We have, THEM
u period ~ several months of equitable
and mild weather, little rain fall, high
barometer aud no electrical disturbances
Again, slordin varie sshcds, arc thousands
ul bales ol cotton wh'''l'. almost simulian-
cously, hayu burst Int, S.s,';fs with no mp.
parent cause, except tile tular notion ni
invcndinfsni. hut ] wlsn TO explode the
same aud base these several coDlhgri'